The Ancient Hellenic Divine Practices

Hellenic polytheism, also known as the Ancient Greek religion or "Dodekatheon"-a term that comes from the number twelve, which in Greek is pronounced "dodeka"-has been extensively studied over the centuries as a vital part of the ancient Hellenic times. The Twelve Olympians, residing according to Hellenic mythology in Mount Olympus, encompassed human and divine characteristics that were portrayed in the popular stories of the times. Although Greeks did not have a term for religion back then in the sense of a dimension of existence distinct from all others, they believed that gods exercised authority of the fortunes of human beings and demanded recognition as a condition for salvation.

One distinct characteristic, of the ancient Hellenic beliefs in the "theia" (things having to do with gods), was that there was not a single truth about gods. The twelve main gods, which were Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Ares, Hephaestus, Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, and Aphrodite, had been depicted within different contexts and they shared different virtues, depending on the each locality's legends. The vast collection of beliefs and rituals practices in Ancient Greece demonstrated that there was no single way to live in accordance with the gods' wishes. Through the worship of the main deities in temples located all over the Greek peninsula and islands, Greeks used to identify different ways to deal with their gods "commandments." There was no single place that one should or should not worship the god of his or her choice, while practices varied in forms and duration. Games, rituals, theatrical works, festivals, processions, and autonomous religious practices within households were held in honor of the gods. This autonomy in dealing with the "theia" gave Greeks the opportunity to portray their gods' superpowers or human weaknesses and associate their everyday practices or behaviors with those of their gods. This uniquely defined line between divinity and humanity illustrated the ancient Greeks desire to understand the forces of nature and to comprehend, to a certain extend, the world around them.

Conducting some form of sacrifice was the most widespread public act of worship and ancient Greeks usually sacrificed animals to ask for gods' forgiveness or assistance on the subject matter of their interest. For a variety of causes, Greeks tended to visit their temples and request their clergy's feedback on their past or future actions; legendary this feedback came through the priests' ability to communicate with the gods and ask their opinion. Moreover, votive gifts were offered to the gods as a ritual of recognition for their divine interference in their lives. Whether given for benefits already conferred or in anticipation of future favors, gifts and sacrifices were since the ancient Hellenic times the generally accepted practices through which an individual would experience divinity. Up until today, in many religions practiced around the world, votive gifts are kept on public display illustrating the belief of the worshipers and their hope for the desired divine interference in their lives.

Today, the overwhelming majority of modern Greeks are Greek Orthodox, but there is still a minority of the ancient Greek gods' worshipers. Although contemporary Greeks and of course the Greek Orthodox Church generally condemn these type of paganism practices, there is evidence that these ancient rituals still carry a very familiar concept of the old Greek beliefs to the modern religious practices.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Religion, Aging [http://4aginginfo.com/], and Family